AU678241B2

AU678241B2 - A coupling arrangement

Info

Publication number: AU678241B2
Application number: AU66047/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Vito Alfio Palermo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-06-29
Filing date: 1994-06-29
Publication date: 1997-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 2014-06-29
Also published as: AU6604794A

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION For a Standard Patent

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT

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Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: VITO ALFIO PALERMO VITO ALFIO PALER140 WRAY ASSOCIATES, Primary Industry House, Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

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Invention Title: "A COUPLING ARRANGEMENT" Details of Associated Provisional Application: No: [?L9'6521 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- 1- I L -lr THIS INVENTION relates to a vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier, and in particular a vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier having a coupling arrangement for engagement with a tow hitch attached to a vehicle, and having a quick connect/release mechanism for attaching an article to be rigidly carried on the tow hitch. More specifically, the invention is particularly adapted for attachment to a tow hitch of the type comprising a tow ball upstanding from one end of a support tongue/tow bar of the type commonly utilised on passenger vehicles for towing of trailers or caravans.

The invention will seek to provide in the vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier, a coupling arrangement which when engaged with the tow hitch prevents or substantially reduces movement of the coupling arrangement about the tow hitch thereby providing a substantially rigid connection, and provide a quick release mechanism disposed between the coupling arrangement and the article to be carried on the vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier.

15 In one form the invention resides in a vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier having a coupling arrangement comprising a coupling socket adapted for engagement with the tow ball of a tow hitch, restricting means to restrict movement of said coupling arrangement in relation to said tow hitch to provide a substantially rigid coupling, and a clamping assembly which when operated clamps the socket to 20 the tow ball to prevent separation; a carrying platform extending from said coupling socket; a mounting assembly receivable on said carrying platform; the mounting assembly and carrying platform having portions arranged to locate in 0.94,: interleaved disposition to form a quick connect/release mechanism to allow S ready connection and release of said mounting assembly to and from said carrying platform.

Preferably the mounting assembly includes an upper plate member receivable over said carrying platform.

i"'-I -3- Preferably said portions of said mounting assembly comprise fingers of plate like configuration, spaced from said upper plate member in substantially parallel relationship thereto for receiving said carrying platform.

Preferably the carrying platform and mounting assembly include locking means to lock the mounting assembly in place. This provides a positive connection between the mounting assembly and the coupling arrangement.

The locking means may conveniently comprise a locking pin or a bolt, either of which may extend through aligned apertures in the carrying platform and mounting assembly.

Preferably, the restricting means includes portions of said coupling arrangement adapted to engage the sides of the support tongue of the tow hitch, and a surface adapted to engage the upper surface of the support tongue.

Preferably the restricting means includes a pair of abutting arms which at least partially extend along the sides of the support tongue.

*0 6 to* The clamping assembly may be operated by tightening or releasing a nut about a threaded shaft and may be of a conventional type.

o n The mounting assembly can be adapted in order to carry :,jects such as G 0* bicycles, motorcycles, furniture and the like.

The carrying platform may be permanently or removably affixed to the coupling 20 arrangement so that it extends in a direction away from the tow hitch.

Preferably, the object requiring support is firstly mounted on to the mounting assembly.

Preferably the mounting assembly is slidably connected to the carrying piatform.

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-4- One specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the coupling arrangement pictured with respect to a tow hitch; Figure 2 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the coupling arrangement of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the coupling arrangement in use; and Figure 4 is a top perspective view of the coupling arrangement in use.

The embodiment relates to a vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier including a coupling arrangement generally indicated by the numeral 10 for engagement with a tow hitch 50 which is attached to a vehicle (not shown). The tow hitch is of the conventional tow ball 52 and support tongue 54 type as seen in Figure Oe:o 1. The coupling arrangement 10 comprises a coupling socket 12 adapted to S 15 receive the tow ball 52. Located within the socket 12 is the clamping assembly (not shown). The upper surface of the socket 12 is provided with a tightening nut 20 of a conventional clamping assembly 000 s ee The coupling socket 12 is attached to a bracket 22 which allows the clamping arrangement 10 to be bolted (as depicted in the drawings), or otherwise attached to a carrying platform 24 which extends in a direction away from the coupling 0000 l socket 12.

oooo 0 Attached to the base of the coupling arrangement 10 is a U-shaped member 28 which is arranged such that it is aligned with the periphery of the coupling socket 12. The arms 29 of the U-shaped member 28 are attached to the under portion A of tne carrying platform 24. The U-shaped member 28 provides planar surfaces 11111111 ~1 27 for abutting with the support tongue 54 of the tow hitch 50. Its purpose is to prevent or restrict pivotal movement of the coupling arrangement 10 about a horizontal axis when connected to the tow hitch Located substantially midway between the arms 29 is a cross-bar 32 which is provided to support arms 29 in spaced apart relation.

Projecting from each of the arms 29 of the U-shaped member 28 and extending in the opposite direction, is an abutting arm 36 which extends past the U-shaped member 28. The purpose of the abutting arms 36 is to abuttingly engage the sides of the support tongue 54 of the tow hitch 50 so as to restrict pivotal movement of the coupling arrangement 10 about a vertical axis when connected to the tow hitch 50. The upper surfaces of the abutting arms 36 are interconnected by means of a cross-bar 38 in order to prevent the abutting arms 36 from being bent away from the sides of the support tongue 54 as a result of any forces exerted when the coupling arrangement 10 is in use.

*se 15 The carrying platform 24 may be provided with attaching means to attach an *go: object such as a motor cycle or bicycle which needs to be transported.

Figures 2 and 3 depict a mounting assembly 40 for supporting a motor cycle to a tow hitch which is attached to a vehicle (not shown). The mounting assembly comprises an upper plate member 42, the under surface 43 of which is provided 20 with a bracket 44. One side 45a of the bracket 44 is provided with a recess 46 which effectively divides the bracket 44 into two tinger portions 47 and 48 each extending part way along the length of the upper plate member 42, in spaced SeeS apart parallel relationship thereto.

Each of the finger portions 47 and 48 is provided with a sleeve 60 which are aligned for receiving a locking pin 62. The upper face of the bracket 44 is connected to one end of the upper plate member 42 such that the bracket 44 Is 0J connected adjacent its peripheral edges at its edge 45b opposite recessed edge I- I 'o

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-6- This connection provides a space 51 between the upper plate member 42 and fingers 47 and 48 (by virtue of the spaced parallel relationship between these components).

As best seen in Figure 1, the upper surface 41 of the upper plate member 42 is provided with a series of brackets which are able to be attached to the frame of a motorcycle, portions of the motorcycle being depicted by dotted lines.

Two spaced apart upstanding brackets 72 are provided for attachment to the front frame portions 80 of the motorcycle, and a centrai bracket 74 provided for attachment to the main under frame 82 of the motorcycle. The upper plate member 42 may be permanently affixed to the motorcycle frame if required.

The undersurface 23 of the carrying platform 24 is provided with a raised portion which corresponds to the configuration of recess 46 of the mounting assembly 40. This raised portion 25 defines a finger for interleaved disposition between fingers 47 and 48. As can be seen in figure 2, the edges of the raised 15 portion 25 and corresponding edges of the fingers 47 and 48 are angularly disposed relative to each other, which assists in alignment and connection of the Go** mounting plate 42 with the carrying platform 24. The raised portion 25 is also .4 provided with a sleeve 60 for receiving locking pin 62. The raised portion extends across the width of the carrying platfoim 24, The connection between 20 the carrying platform 24 and the mounting assembly 40 provides a quick °connect/release mechanism which allows the stowed motorcycle to be readily unmounted for use, and readily stowed for transport.

oooo The invention will be explained in use.

0 The mounting assembly 40 is affixed to the motorcycle frame as described above. The coupling arrangement 10 is coupled to the tow hitch 50 by engaging the tow ball 52 within the coupling socket 12. The nut 20 of the clarnping -L A ,assembly is then tightened against the exterior surface of the socket 12 thereby

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-7locking the tow ball 52 in engagement with the socket 12. The planar surfaces 27 of the U-shaped member 28 and abutting arms 3b ensure that pivotal movement along the vertical and horizontal axes is restricted when the coupling arrangement 10 is connected to the towbar 50 thereby providing a substantially rigid connection.

The mounting assemb!y 40 is attached to the carrying platform 24 by sliding the upper plate member 42 over the platform 24 such that raised portion 25 of the platform 24 is accommodated within the recess 46, the fingers 47 and 48 and the raised portion 25 being in interleaved disposition, and the sleeves 60 are aligned in order to be able to receive the locking pin 62. The upper plate member 42 will then extend transversely across the platform 24.

To additionally secure the motorcycle to the upper plate member 42, the motorcycle is bolted to the mounting assembly 40 and bracket 44 through aperture 50 which is located adjacent one of the upstanding bracke'ts 72 and 15 through bracket portion 48.

The upper plate member 42 may vary in configuration depending on the object to be carried. As seen in Figure 4 the upper plate member 42 may be used to support a table 86 which can be used when the vehicle is stationery, It should be appreciated that various modifications and changes may be made to 20 the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the *i invention.

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Claims

1. A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier having a coupling arrangement comprising a coupling socket adapted for engagement with the tow ball of a tow hitch, restricting means to restrict movement of said coupling arrangement in relation to said tow hitch to provide a substantially rigid coupling, and a clamping assembly which when operated clamps the socket to the tow ball to prevent separation; a carrying platform extending from said coupling socket; a mounting assembly receivable on said carrying platform; the mounting assembly and carrying platform having portions arranged to locate in interleaved disposition to form a qulck connect/release mechanism to allow ready connection and release of said mounting assembly to and from said carrying platform.

2. A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the A: 0°a mounting assembly includes an upper plate member receivable over said .carrying platform. o '15

3. A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier as claimed in claim 2 wherein said portions of said mounting assembly comprise fingers of plate like configuration, o spaced from said upper plate member in substantially parallel relationship thereto for receiving said carrying platform.

4, A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier as claimed in any one of the 20 preceding claims wherein the carrying platform and mounting assembly include locking means to lock the mounting assembly in place.

A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier as claimed in claim 4 wherein the locking means comprises a locking pin arranged to extend through aligned apertures in the carrying platform and mounting assembly,

6. A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier as claimed in any one of the ,ta Apreceding claims wherein the restricting means includes portions of said I r. -9- coupling arrangement adapted to engage the sides of the support tongue of the tow hitch, and a surface adapted to engage the upper surface of the support tongue.

7. A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier as claimed in claim 6 wherein the restricting means includes a pair of abutting arms which at least partially extend along the :;des of the support tongue.

8. A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the carrying platform is disposed so that it extends in a direction away from the tow hitch.

9. A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the mounting assembly is slidably connected to the carrying platform.

10. A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier as substantially herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this tenth day of March 1997. VITO ALFIO PALERMO 0. Applicant Wrpy Associates Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant 0^ ABSTRACT A vehicle tow hitch mountable carrier having a coupling arran, nent comprising a coupling socket 12 adapted for engagement with the ball 52 of a tow hitch 50, restricting means 27, 36 to restrict relative movement of the coupling arrangement and tow hitch to provide a substantially rigid coupling, and a clamping assembly 20 to prevent separation of the socket and tow ball. A carrying platform 24 extends from the coupling socketl2, and a mounting assembly 42 is receivable on said carrying platform. The mounting assembly 42 carrying platform 24 have portions 47, 25, 48 arranged to locate in interleaved 10 disposition to form a quick connect/release mechanism to allow ready •connection and release of the mounting assembly to and from the carrying platform. S f 0 el S *12 **OOO